Month: July 2010

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationIn the News – Prince Kept His Hair By Playing Guitar? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

PrincePrince believes playing the electric guitar has stopped him from going bald.

The 52-year-old pop legend – who can play 27 different instruments – is convinced the electricity that flows through a guitar when he strums it is the reason he still has luscious locks.

He said: “Playing electric guitar your whole life does something to you. I’m convinced all that electricity racing through your body made me keep my hair.”

Block Quote

Read the full story — Prince: Playing the electric guitar prevented hair loss

So there you go, folks. The secret to keeping your hair — learn the guitar. Be sure to get a nice electric guitar with a huge, loud amp (bonus points if you live with people that are not musicians, since they will love to hear you learn).

I’m kidding, of course. Hair loss is from genetics… not electricity racing through your body.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationI Just Moved and Now I’m Losing Hair – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I recently moved to US (bay area) and have been noticing a lot of hair fall. Slightly pulling my hair causes them to come out. I have no serious illness etc. What could be causing the increased hair loss?

Thanks!

Block Quote

It could be a variety of things. Perhaps it is your genetics and the timing was coincidental to the move… or it could be stress-induced (moving can do that)… or it could be allergy… etc, etc. I really have no way to know based on your email with limited information. You should see a doctor if you’re concerned.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationSettling In to a Hair Loss Pattern? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi, Dr. Rassman. Thanks for answering all of our questions.

My question is, How likely is it for someone to “settle in” to a level of hair loss (Norwood 3A, for example) and not see any more rapid loss for a period of time (years, for example)? Do some people get to a certain level of hair loss beyond a mature hairline and stay that way without medication? Or is your fate essentially sealed after you reach a certain level?

Block Quote

Let me clarify what I see as your misunderstanding. The Norwood chart is not to be seen as a progression of hair loss chart, but rather the final patterns seen in a large male population.

Some people do seem to go from a Norwood class 3 to a 4 and then to a 5 pattern, but you may just “settle in” to your Norwood 3A state, as an example. There is really no 100% certainty, but a good doctor with a good miniaturization study and examination can give you a better assessment of what hair may go with time. Here’s the Norwood chart so we’re all on the same page:

Norwood

Your “fate” was sealed in your genetic code when you were conceived many, many years ago. Very few patients become a Norwood class 7 pattern, and even the balding patients who start as a class 5 may not go much further, even at the age of 100 or so. So for example, there’s no “point of no return” that says if you reach class 4 by this certain age, you’re guaranteed to be a class 7 later in life.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationPress Release – New Laser Cleared by FDA for Female Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the press release:

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just cleared a new laser proven to regrow hair in women. The FDA ruling was based on a study performed by Dr. Grant Koher which showed that low level laser light, specifically with a precise wavelength, provides a medically significant treatment for women’s hair loss. Dr. Koher is the first physician to conduct a study resulting in 510k FDA clearance for a medical device for the treatment of female pattern baldness.

Dr. Koher conducted a three phased medical study to confirm that females with androgenetic alopecia, when exposed to scheduled applications of low level laser light, would have a reduction in hair loss and promotion in hair growth. This study was conducted over 18 months with 82 qualified participants. Each participant was scheduled to receive 52 treatments of 20 minute duration, over a period of 26 weeks. All study procedures included clinical protocol, clinical tracking, and clinical analysis approved by the Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB).

Block Quote

LaserRead the full PR — New Laser Cleared by Food and Drug Administration for the Treatment of Female Pattern Hair Loss

The study that is referenced was done by Dr. Koher in North Carolina, but I can’t find any information about it outside of this press release (not even on the doctor’s website). He apparently presented the study, “Effect of Laser Biostimulation In The Treatment of Female Pattern Hair Loss“, at last year’s ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery) meeting, but I can’t find any evidence that it was published anywhere.

Note that it is not FDA approved, but it is “cleared”. When the FDA clears something like this technology, it means that it is safe… not necessarily effective. For more information on 510(k) clearance, see here.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationAfter Taking Propecia for Years, Should I Up the Dosage? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Doc. Right know I’m on Propecia for 3 years, but I’m noticing some thinning in the frontal area. Would it be effective to start to take 2 mg a day? Thank you.

Block Quote

Increasing the medication dosage will not necessarily slow down or help stop the hair loss process. Propecia is a good medication, but it is not the magic bullet. It does not completely stop hair loss and different people have different results with the medication.

As Propecia is a prescription medication, talk to your prescribing physician about changes in dosing. If he/she decides you should, that’s between you and your physician.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationIn the News – Bald Women Are a Fashion Statement? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

Women who want to go bald as a fashion statement may find the process smoother than ever.

Some fashion experts believe female baldness is getting its most positive fashion exposure since singer Sinead O’Connor hit it big in 1990. Although Britney Spears went bald a few years back, it was viewed as a cry for help, not a fashion statement.

Part of the reason why baldness is in is because of the positive press given to Miss America finalist Kayla Martell, who suffers from “alopecia areata” — an autoimmune disease that led to complete hair loss when she was a child.

Block Quote

Read the full story at AOL News — More Women Taking a Shine to Going Bald

I agree that Miss Delaware Kayla Martell is a good role model for young women dealing with alopecia (we wrote briefly about her here), but I also found a rebuttal to the idea of hair loss as a fashion statement at Salon.com.

Posted on

Why Do You Keep Saying Propecia Doesn’t Work in the Hairline? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Propecia does work in the front!! Why you keep saying it doesn’t or is of little help that confuses everyone! If you mean that for example you are a NW3 and want to become a NW2 then its true Propecia won’t magically grow those hairs but in very rare cases im sure it has. But if your front is thinning it CAN STOP those hairs from continuing to thin and even thicken up some if its early.

I started mildly thinning in the front 2 years ago at age 21 1/2 and as soon as I started taking Propecia it stopped it completely! Today I look exactly like 2 years ago. I was hoping for some thickening up as well but that didnt happen though.

Also from my understanding dht causes hair loss in MPB so in that case why won’t Propecia help the front to stop hairline recession!?

Block Quote

PropeciaI’ve been consistent with my message about Propecia and the frontal hairline. Here’s a post from over four years ago, where I say the same thing — the medication doesn’t regrow at the hairline in most cases. Please understand that there is no cure for MPB. If you have the gene and it expresses itself, you will go through some degree of hair loss… and Propecia can drastically slow this process down.

Propecia works great on the top crown area as research shows, but it doesn’t work as well in the frontal hairline for most men. I don’t have a reason as to why this is the case, but I’ve speculated in the past.

On rare occasions we have seen reversal of frontal hair loss from Propecia, and I’ve even written about it before on this site. If you are one of the lucky patients that saw benefits in the frontal hairline, that’s great, but even as you noticed, it did not thicken the front. It’s obviously not impossible for the medication to work in the front, but the likelihood of seeing major regrowth in that area is slim.

Posted on

The Price of a FUE Megasession? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hi Dr. Rassman,
i just had a quick question for you and i would really appreciated if you could answer it. well dr. rassman i just wanted to know, i’m thinking of having a hair transplant and the only way would be with the FUE procedure. i’ve been saving money for that the past 4 years just for this, so was just wondering let say i get a mega session done with about 2,500 to 3,000 hairs how much would that cost??

and doesn’t matter when i get it even if its on a stand by procedure could you give me a rough estimate?? so i can keep on saving so what i have is not enough. once again thanks for your answer and keep up the great work!!

Block Quote

First, we generally use the term “grafts” which will contain 1, 2, 3, or 4 hairs. I have heard of some doctors doing 2500 to 3000 graft FUE procedures, but in my experience as the one who first published the FUE techniques in 2002 (which all doctors use), megasession FUE of that high a number may be dangerous in terms of the graft survivability and donor area scarring.

At New Hair Institute, we usually limit the FUE to 1500 maximum, but may flow over into a second day surgery in special cases where the donor density is good. The cost of FUE at NHI is now $8/graft with my associate Dr. Pak. We do not offer the FUE procedure in our standby program.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationI Was Born with a Bald Spot – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I was born with a bald spot on the side of my head. About the age of 14 I noticed that some hair in the middle of the bald spot grew and is long. Now at age 23 it’s still there and some strands of hair if you look closely here and there. What caused this and why did some hair grew back.

Block Quote

I don’t have a clue without seeing just what you are talking about. I’ve gotten similar questions in the past, and the only thing I could think might’ve been the cause is a birthmark or some kind of trauma. As to why some hair grew in… again, I’d have no clue. Not everything can be explained (and I’m even more limited because this is the Internet and I’ve never seen you).

There are some areas where there are typical inherited patterns and others that are not typical. For those that are typical, we might be able to tell you more about the cause.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationNo Growth Months After My Hair Transplant – Am I a Slow Responder? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I had a transplant on 3.16.10. The crown and the left and right sides frontal. Went in for a 4 month check up and nothing has started to come in. I had no post operative issues. I was very careful for the 2 weeks post op with the grafts. Doctor said I am a slow responder and to come back at 7 months. I been on the internet and I see all these patients with growth at 4 months and I wondering If my procedure failed. I am getting panicky.

Block Quote

Don’t panic! Results from a hair transplant will usually be seen from 3 months all the way up to 7 months on average. The speed at which it grows has nothing to do with success of the surgery. The waiting is the hardest part… but you’re going to have to find the patience. If at month 7 you still see nothing, have a chat with your surgeon about that. Right now though, you have no reason to be worried about your transplant’s success or failure.